The Woman at the Well
by My blue rose
Summary: A woman of Samaria meets a strange man who changes her life.


**The Woman at the Well**

" _For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water."_ ~ Jeremiah 2:13

" _Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation._ " ~ Isaiah 12:3

 **The Month of Iyar, 27 A.D.:**

The woman adjusted her scarlet mantle so it fell over one shoulder, exposing the yellow linen of the tunic she wore underneath. It was midday and she could feel the sweat trickle down her back as she made her way out of the village, carrying her water jar on her head. They were only in the month of Iyar, a few weeks from the Feast of Pentecost, yet it felt as hot as midsummer. The women of Sychar normally went together in the cool of the morning and evening to collect water for their families. It was foolish to fetch water during the heat of the day.

But she would rather drink tepid water that bear their scorn.

Sychar was a small village near Mount Ebal's eastern slope, on the edge of the plain of Makhneh. Half a Sabbath day's journey from the town was the ancient highroad that had been there since the time of Isaiah. The road led from the city of Jerusalem through the mountains of Samaria, extended along the western shores of Lake Galilee, and continued north into Damascus. The road bent westward into the narrow valley known as the Pass of Shechem between Mount Ebal to the north and Mount Gerizim to the south. On the north side of the road was Jacob's Well.

The woman was halfway there when she realized there was a man sitting on the well.

Jacob's Well was covered by a large capstone, three and a half cubits across and over one cubit thick. The capstone had a hole in its center, allowing people to draw water, and it helped prevent dirt and small children from falling into the well. As she drew closer, the woman stared at the man in surprise. Not only did she not recognize him—he was not from the village—it was obviously he was a Jew: the undyed mantle draped over his shoulders had tassels dangling from its corners. Yet Jews avoided Samaritans by taking the west road through the Sharon plain that bypassed the Samarian mountains.

What devout Jew would take the road from Jerusalem through Samaria?

The Jews considered the Samaritans to be half-breeds and apostates. After Joshua had conquered Canaan, Samaria had been settled by the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. Yet, seven hundred years ago, the Assyrians had invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The king of Assyria had brought people from Babylon, Cuthah and other counties into Samaria to populate the area. There, these people had intermarried with the descendants of those Jews who were not taken into captivity and exile and were now known as Samaritans or 'Cuthim'.

But the Samaritans believed that they were the true Israelites. They worshiped on Mount Gerizim, which they believed to be the original Holy Place of the Israelites and thought that it was on this mountain that Abraham was commanded to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. They also believed that their version of the Pentateuch was the original and that the Jews had a false text produced by Ezra during the Babylonian exile. The woman knew that many Jews and Samaritans thought it was wrong to enter each other's territories or even to speak to one another.

So what was this Jewish man doing here?

He appeared to be staring at the orchards of fruit and nut trees in the Shechem valley. She studied him from beneath her headscarf. She thought he looked unremarkable, neither particularly handsome nor particularly ugly. She guessed he was in his late twenties or early thirties. He must be poor as he had no cloak and his clothes were plain. His skin was tan; perhaps he was a laborer? She was certain he could not be a farmer. The wheat harvest was only now nearing its end and what farmer would abandon his fields during such a time?

He must have heard her approach for he turned to look at her and she dropped her gaze so their eyes did not meet, as was proper. The man ought to have moved when she placed her jar down on the capstone, yet he did not. She studiously ignored him as she retrieved the leather bucket she had tied to her belt. It was unseemly for him to be so close to her. She was grateful that there was no one else about. People already thought the worst of her. What would they say if they saw her at the well with a strange man and a Jew no less?

"Give me a drink?" The man asked, his Aramaic tinged with a Galilean accent.

She was so surprised that she lifted her head and found herself looking into eyes that were unusually intense. An unknown man should not make eye contact with a woman in a public place, let alone speak with her. It was not appropriate. And where was his bucket? Every traveler had one. Perhaps he had friends whom had taken it and left him here. Why then did he not simply wait for their return? He was a Jew. Many Jews would rather die of thirst than ask for water from a Samaritan. Would not drinking from her bucket defile him?

"How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" she asked, curious despite herself, lowering her eyes once more.

Everyone knew Jews and Samaritans hated each other, and with good reason. A hundred years ago, Jews from Jerusalem under John Hyrcanus had destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim after they sided with Antiochus IV Epiphanes. They also destroyed Shechem, the old capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Samaritans had retaliated, some thirty or so years ago, by penetrating the Temple in Jerusalem. They had scattered bones of the dead across the Temple complex on the eve of Passover, defiling it so the Jews could not keep the feast.

Yet the man did not look at her disdainfully. Rather, he answered her calmly. "If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."

The woman frowned.

What nonsense was this? Everyone knew the gift of God was the Law of Moses. And what was this 'living water' he spoke of? There were many springs on Mount Gerizim. These fountains were what made the valley so fruitful. Yet the water that came from them was bitter with minerals, not at all like the fresh tasting water that came from Jacob's Well. How was he going to produce spring water when he did not even have a bucket to draw from this well that had been given to them by their forefather Jacob? Who did this man think he was?

"Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep." It was over twenty five cubits deep as the rope coiled on the capstone attested.

"Where then do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well and drank from it himself as well as his sons and his livestock?" she did not attempt to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

She had expected him to become angry and declare that, as a Jew, Jacob was his father not hers.

But the man responded in the same mild tone as before. "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

She laughed. "Sir, give me this water that I may not thirst nor come here to draw." This man's foolishness was amusing at least.

He paused for a moment before saying. "Go, call your husband, and come here."

The woman stiffened. "I have no husband," She replied carefully, grateful that he could not know the truth.

The man cocked his head at her and she shivered, despite the heat. His eyes seemed to be able to see into her soul.

"You have well said, 'I have no husband' for you have had five husbands and the one whom you now have is not your husband. In that you spoke truly," he said, nodding to himself.

She felt the blood drain from her face. Despite his words, she knew she had been caught in a lie.

"Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet," the woman began in a more respectful tone than she had yet used. Wishing to speak about something else, she pointed at Mount Gerizim, rising above them to the south. "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."

The man smiled slightly as if he knew she was trying to distract him but he answered her question nonetheless.

"Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

"I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will tell us all things," she said.

Samaritans believed that the Messiah was the prophet that the Law spoke of who would be raised up from among their brethren and would speak the words of the Most High, like Moses had done.

"I who speak to you am he _._ "

She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. She found herself looking once more into the man's eyes and saw the truth of his words reflected there.

In the distance, she saw twelve men approaching them. As they came near the woman saw that they seemed surprise to find their friend speaking to her. Though they said nothing, the looks of disapproval on their faces was enough. She understood. A rabbi would not even speak to his own wife in a public place so what was this prophet doing conversing with her? They probably wanted to ask if she was bothering him but did not wish to offend. The woman left, forgetting her water jar on the capstone of the well, heading back to the center of the village.

"Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" she asked all who would listen, knowing it would get their attention.

Then the men of Sychar went to see the one she had spoken to. When they returned to the village, they brought the man and his followers with them. They had been intrigued by his words and urged him to stay with them. The man agreed and he stayed in the village for two days. And many believed he was the Christ because of his words. And for the first time, the woman found that people looked upon her not with disgust, but with gratitude.

Any many spoke to her saying, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior of the world."

 **"** **Half a Sabbath day's journey":** about a quarter of a mile (a Sabbath day's journey is about 2,000 cubits or 2916 ft.).

 **Cubit (English):** The distance from the elbow to the tip of the finger. The Roman cubit is equal to about 17½ inches while the Jewish cubit is normally reckoned as 18 inches.

 **Mantle (English):** This article of clothing served as an outer garment (and also as a blanket, bedroll or even as collateral in a loan repayable by sunset) for men and women in 1st century Palestine. It was draped over one shoulder or both, depending on how much freedom of movement the wearer desired. Unlike the toga which was semi-circular in shape, the mantle was a single rectangular sheet with four corners upon which tassels (Hebrew: tzitzit) were tied. Jewish people were required by law (Numbers 15:37-41; Deut. 22:12) to put tassels on the corners of their garments.

 **"** **Living Water":** this can also refer to water from a spring, hence the woman's confusion.

 **Note:** The dialogue in this story is taken from John 4:1-42 (NKJV) but everything else is my own idea, based on my understanding of 1st century Palestinian culture, and it should not be taken as cannon. Many of the details in this fic are based on findings from Biblical archeology as well as information from the excellent book, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels by Kenneth E. Bailey. I believe that the crucifixion took place in 30 A.D. (the other possible date for it is 33 A.D.) and so think this event in John's Gospel took place in 27 A.D.


End file.
